Adjustable cam



Aug- 9, 1966 A. J. BERGER 3,264,897

ADJUSTABLE CAM Filed Jan. 27, 1964 55k fen- United States Patent O 3,264,897 ADJUSTABLE CAM Arthur J. Berger, 123 N. Highland Place, Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y. Filed Jan. 27, 1964, Ser. No. 340,183 3 Claims. (Cl. 74--568) This invention relates to lcams in general and more particularly to adjustable cams.

The objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description of an embodiment 'of the invention and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out hereinafter in connection with the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings FIGURE 1 is a cross-section of an embodiment of the cam arrangement of this invention with certain portions thereof broken away;

FIGURE 2 is a section taken approximately along line 2-2 of FIGURE 1 with the adjusting key in a position for adjusting the upper cam;

FIGURE 3 is a similar section except with the key in position to adjust the lower cam;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective View of the adjusting key.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in F-IG- URE 1, coupling gear 27 in addition to rotating the day cam 32 meshes with a gear which is rigidly affixed to rotatable shaft 50 and rotates the same Iat a speed of one revolution per unit time. Disposed above the gear, rotatable with and mounted on the shaft 50 are a pair of metallic adjustable periphery cams 51 and 52. The two cams may be formed on a unitary member if desired as illustrated or of two separate circular plate cam elements each having a recessed annular groove in the peripheral edge and joined together in face to face abutting relation. The outerfaces 53 and 54 of the adjustable cam member extend radially outwardly beyond the operating cam surfaces of 51 and 52 so as to effectively form therebetween an annular groove. The cam surfaces are separated by a radial flange 55 which is similar to the outerfaces except it is provided with plurality of axial notches 56 in its outer edge. The cam member is provided with 24 axially directed apertures 57 as best illustrated in FIG- URE 1 extending therethrough from face to face. The apertures are arranged in circular fashion about the central shaft 50 and inwardly of the outer flanges 58 formed by the extension of the outerfaces. They are equally spaced from one an-other so as to correspond to unit differentials as the cam member is rotated. Twenty-four inwardly (from the cam surface) and radially directed apertures 59 are provided in each cam. These radial apertures are disposed so that each just slightly overlaps only one corresponding axial aperture 57 as at 60. Each pair of radial and axial -apertures is indexed with a numeral as at 61 on the uppermost surface 62 of the cam member which is visible through transparent window in the cover (not shown) so that it is immediately discernable which apertures are proxim-ate said window. Disposed within each of the radial apertures 59 is a cam adjusting member 64 having a rear thread surface 65 and provided with lengthwise notches 66 at the opposite end. The adjusting member 64 is frictionally held in the aperture with the notched portion contributing thereto and permitting ease of entry therein although the member is free to move into and out of the aperture under force, it will remain fixed in position once it is set. When the adjusting member is fully in the aperture a substantial portion of the threaded part thereof extends inwardly past axial aperture 57 so las to permit a wide latitude of settings.

Adjustment or setting of members 64 is accomplished by adjusting key 67 (see FIGURES 2, 3 and 4) which comprises a shaft portion 68, a pair of oppositely disposed ends 69 and 70 each carrying on the shaft identical cylin- Patented August 9, 1966 ICC drical tool members 71, 72 having lengthwise serrations y0r grooves mated for engagement with the threads of adjusting member 64. Between the ends thereof but closer to the tool 71 and carried rigidly on the shaft is a knurled nut element 73 having a pair of guide bosses 74 extending axially outwardly thereof. Setting of the members 64 is easily done by inserting the key `67 through the bushing 75, :opening 76 in the cover 26 with the tool 72 down engaging the member 64 of the lower cam 52. The guide 'boss 74 as well as the key is centered by the bushing and it also sets the proper insertion distance .as shown in FIGURE 4. After one of the members has been set, the key is removed and the other end inserted to engage la member 64 in the upper cam as per FIGURE 3. This method of adjustment prevents the adjustment of `one c-am from affecting the adjustment of the second cam and vica-Versa. In order to adjust each cam setting, it is necessary to rotate the cams either in unison or individually so that they are aligned with the bushing 75. For this purpose the spring clutch 27a comes into play by permitting clockwise rotation of the cams for alignment of the proper axial aperture 57. Additionally, this spring 27a allows for synchronous adjustment of the cams with some device such as a clock. The above use of a key does not preclude operation where more than two stacked cams are employed since by allowing the heads 71 and 72 to be movable along the shaft portion 68 any single one of a plurality of cams m-ay be individually set. Each of the two elements 78 are so disposed and formed whereby the Contact tip 96 abuts one end 98 of a generally S-shaped member 99 as in FIGURE 1. This member on the face opposite that against which the tip 96`bears carries one portion of a pin hinge 100 While a complementary portion is c-arried by a plastic shoe 101. The shoe is approximately of a convex configuration with a smooth inner face `on which ride the rear ends of the adjusting members 64. It is of a length suicient to contact only two of the adjusting members at one time and of a material exhibiting a low frictional coefficient, as for example, nylon or Teflon so as to permit relatively free rotation of the entire cam. The support structure for the S-shaped member 99 is supported by a shaft 102. Extending laterally frorn the shaft 102 and affixed thereto at some point below the lower cam is an extension 103 which in turn carries an upstanding holder 104. The holder and shaft 102 with its associ-ated structure are parallel and together support the two S members 99` and 110. Disposed between the free ends of the S-shaped members and the upstanding holder are biasing springs 111 and 112 which urge the members against their respective shoes 101 by way of hinge 100 and thereby urge the shoe firmly against two of the adjusting members 64. Since the shoe is only of suicient length to contact two members 64 at any one time, it will effectively average out so as to provide a gradual change between them.

Although I have only set forth one exemplary embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that modifications may be made thereon without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the present invention, as set forth in the following claims.

What is claimed is: 1. A multiple peripherally adjustable cam which comprises:

a cam body having a plurality of spaced radial apertures arranged in aligned rows lengthwise thereof said cam body also having axial apertures lengthwise thereof, and each partially intersecting one row of said radial apertures cam adjust ymembers having threaded areas disposed in said radial apertures and movable therein and thereout an adjusting tool having a shaft and an operating head portion said head portion having grooves thereon for mating engagement with said threaded areas whereby the ends rof said members will constitute a plurality of cam surfaces and said surface may be adjusted by inserting said tool in said axial apertures and any of said members positioned independently.

2. The adjustable cam, according to claim 1, further including a arcu-ate cam follower for each of said cam surfaces, and of a length sufficient to contact only two of said members at any one time,

means pivotally supporting and yieldingly urging said follower into Contact with two of said members.

3. A peripherally adjustable cam which comprises;

a cam body having regularly spaced radial apertures opening outwardly thereof and axially directed apertures extending therethrough from one face to the opposite face,

pairs lof said apertures only partially intersecting one another,

a cam adjust :member fricti-onally disposed in said radial apertures and provided With a threaded portion,

tool means insertable in said axial apertures and engaging said adjust member and positioning said member lengthwise in said axial aperture, said tool means including an operating head engageable with said threaded portion, whereby when said head is rotated and said adjust member will be moved lengthwise in said radial aperture and the ends `of said members extending out of said radial aperture collectively will constitute an adjustable peripheral cam surface.

References Cited by the Examiner FRED C. MATTERN, JR., Primary Examiner.

BERNARD A. GILHEANY, BROUGHTON G. DUR- HAM, Examiners.

L. A. WRIGHT, W. S. RATLIFF, Assistant Examiners. 

1. A MULTIPLE PERIPHERALLY ADJUSTABLE CAM WHICH COMPRISES; A CAM BODY HAVING A PLURALITY OF SPACED RADIAL APERTURES ARRANGED IN ALIGNED ROWS LENGTHWISE THEREOF SAID CAM BODY ALSO HAVING AXIAL APERTURES LENGTHWISE THEREOF, AND EACH PARTIALLY INTERSECTING ONE ROW OF SAID RADIAL APERTURES CAM ADJUST MEMBERS HAVING THREADED AREAS DISPOSED IN SAID RADIAL APERTURES AND MOVABLE THEREIN AND THEREOUT AN ADJUSTING TOOL HAVING A SHAFT AND AN OPERATING HEAD PORTION SAID HEAD PORTION HAVING GROOVES THEREON FOR MATING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID THREADED AREAS 